FDA to hold meeting on FSMA import rule, third party accreditation

Those interested will have several opportunities to attend public meetings hosted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about two proposed Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) rules.

The first meeting will cover the foreign supplier verification rule, which requires importers to ensure foods and animal feed being shipped the U.S. are “produced in a manner consistent with U.S. standards”, and the third party accreditation rule, which would create a way for third-party auditors to become accredited, allowing them to conduct food safety audit and issue certifications, according to the FDA.

The meeting also will allow for public and stakeholder comments on the rules and will detail the rulemaking process.

The first meeting is slated for 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept., 19 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel, 2500 Calvert Street NW, Washington, D.C. Those who would like to attend are encouraged to register online or by calling using the information at this link.

FDA also announced today that it intends to create an environmental impact statement for the produce rule. The statement will “evaluate the potential environmental effects of the proposed rule,” FDA noted. The analysis comes after comments submitted on the rule and FDA’s own review indicated a need for it.